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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26395786">Absolute Worst Best Friend</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/null_Home/pseuds/null_Home'>null_Home</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Infinity Train (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Coming Out, Digital Art, F/M, Fluff, Grinding, Mutual Pining, Sharing a Bed, Snowed In, Trans Female Character, coconut crabs</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 09:13:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,844</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26395786</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/null_Home/pseuds/null_Home</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>An embarrassing boner causes Simon and Grace to try and resolve some feelings.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Simon Laurent/Grace Monroe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>270</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Absolute Worst Best Friend</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>All you need to know is, this is my first Infinity Train fanfic and also I love to project. Now with art!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Ugh, why are there so many snow themed cars in this stupid train? This is getting ridiculous. What is it, the 8th time so far this week?" Simon grumbles as he's laying down a sleeping bag on the floor of the cabin he and Grace just reached after getting lost in a powerful blizzard on their way to a new car. </p>
<p>"Pretty sure it was just three times," Grace answers with a subtle smile, closing the door behind her, "but that is pretty weird still. And annoying- we're definitely gonna have to spend the night here. I'd love to get a peaceful tropical island car, for a change." </p>
<p>"Fat chance. I'll bet you whatever you want that if we ever get to a car even remotely like that, it'll be swarming with sharks and stuff." Simon says, waving a finger at her gravely. </p>
<p>"And stuff?" Grace says. </p>
<p>"Yeah, like coconut crabs or something." Simon vaguely elaborates with a shrug.</p>
<p>"That doesn't sound too bad." </p>
<p>"Tsk tsk tsk, spoken like a true coconut crab virgin." Simon says, closing his eyes dramatically and crossing his arms, as if he were giving her a very important lecture. "You do NOT want to meet a coconut crab, believe me. And especially not the freaky magic train kind." </p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Grace laughs. "Oh, I can believe that. …Hey, why are you doing grabby hands at me, are <em> you </em> secretly a crab agent sent by One-One?" </p>
<p>"Your sleeping bag, Grace. I'm setting up camp. You said we're spending the night here, right?" </p>
<p>"Oh- right!" Grace exclaims, then starts looking inside her backpack and frowns. </p>
<p>"What is it?" </p>
<p>"My sleeping bag, it's missing." </p>
<p>Simon scratches his head, looking at the ceiling for a moment then turns to Grace again. </p>
<p>"Didn't Theo throw up on it yesterday?" </p>
<p>"Aw, crap, you're right," she realizes and face-palms, "it's still in the tumble dryer. Well, what do you know, such is the cost of being that dedicated a leader." </p>
<p>Simon looks at his sleeping bag, then at Grace, then at his sleeping bag again, then back at Grace, and then he opens his mouth as if to say something, but quickly closes it again, his face flushed. </p>
<p>"Why. Don't you. Have mine tonight?" He finally asks awkwardly after a long pause. </p>
<p>"What, and leave you on the ground with nothing? What kind of leader and friend would I be? Nah, we can just share. Plus, I'm not gonna say no to some free extra warmth." Grace says, trying to sound as casual about it as possible. Simon's face reddens even more, not quite as casually. </p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>If the night was dark when they arrived, it's now a pure inky black as they cuddle up in Simon's sleeping bag. They're both facing the same direction, Grace looking away from Simon.<em> "Oh my god, is this spooning? No way." </em>Simon thinks to himself and stiffens behind Grace, his arms, legs and torso almost completely straight from tensing up. He's starting to look like one of his plastic figurines. It's embarrassing how worked up he gets from such basic 'intimacy'– their bodies aren't that tightly pressed against one another but they're close enough that he can feel Grace's warmth radiate powerfully around her and pierce through his very flesh and bones, it's like he's having a religious experience. Did Grace do this on purpose? Or is she just being practical to make up for her earlier distraction? Crap, the most beautiful girl in the world is lying right next to him and he can't even be cool enough to properly enjoy it. Come on, idiot, focus–</p>
<p>"Hey, Simon? You're, um, poking me." Grace suddenly says with a hesitant voice. It takes a few seconds for what she's talking about to sink in.</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>"I'M, THAT'S-" Simon yelps as he abruptly perks up then turns to face the other way, utterly mortified. </p>
<p>"<em>I am so sorry</em>." he says meekly, hiding his face in his hands. This is the most embarrassed he's ever been in his entire life. This is a 'going out in your jammies' kind of embarrassment, a 'call your teacher mom' kind of embarrassment, a 'just farted in the gymnasium' kind of embarrassment, all of that multiplied by whatever quantifiable amount of irredeemably horny a boy has to be to get hard against his childhood friend's butt so easily. "<em>Just kill me</em>", Simon mumbles to himself. </p>
<p>Grace tries to give him an out, herself having a bit of embarrassed chuckle. "That's OK, that kind of stuff happens all the time when people get super close, and we're both hormonal teenagers, so this is like, just a biological reaction, right?" </p>
<p>And somehow that makes it even worse. The way Grace chuckled just now reminds him of when she laughed to his face after they'd shared a clumsy, innocent kiss when they were 12. Of course he's not even a possible romantic option for her, when she's so cool and confident and him so lame and sweaty. There's no way to take this back though, he can't just erase her memory of this. </p>
<p>…Well, as they say, in for a penny, in for a pound. Simon made this bed, so he might as well lay in it. "It's…. It's not 'just a biological reaction', it's…" Simon painfully says through gritted teeth, speaking every word with a strained voice as if he was pulling snakes out of his mouth. "I… I like you, Grace."</p>
<p>There's a beat. Stupid, stupid Simon. Now you've freaked her out even more. </p>
<p>"I-" Grace finally starts, but she's immediately interrupted by Simon. </p>
<p>"Sorry, that probably made it worse. I know you're not interested in me. Please let's just pretend this means nothing and we'll make fun of it in a week."</p>
<p>Silence. </p>
<p>"You're in love with me." Grace says, and it's definitely more of a statement than a question. </p>
<p>"I- <em> yes </em>, and I know it's not mutual, so can we just please-" </p>
<p>"What makes you think it's not mutual? </p>
<p>Simon perks up, and turns around to see Grace looking at him, sitting with her arms wrapped around her legs, holding them tight against her chest, her piercing eyes staring straight into his soul. Her expression is indecipherable. </p>
<p>"What could possibly make me think it is??" Simon cries, "I may try my best to hide my feelings for you, but I know I'm not good at it, it's like it's written on my face. Actually, scratch that, it's written <em> everywhere</em>. Have you <em> read </em> my <em> novel?"</em></p>
<p>"You know I haven't." Grace answers with a cheeky smile. </p>
<p>"W-well, you should've! And should. In it, there are some self insert characters you will find to be <em> very </em> familiar, and they have tons of great, beautiful and <em> very </em> intimate adventures together, and it's all extremely cringey." </p>
<p>Grace chuckles softly, and for a second Simon is tempted to join her. But he needs to vent. </p>
<p>"My point is, you've definitely known I have a crush on you for god knows how long, and you haven't made a single move on me. I think that sums up the situation pretty well." </p>
<p>Grace sighs. </p>
<p>"You know it's not that simple." she says, looking down, the palm of her right hand pressed against her forehead, her fingers gently pulling on her locs. The faint glow of her numbers is reflecting in the white of her eyes. </p>
<p>"Isn't it?" </p>
<p>"No." </p>
<p>Grace keeps playing with her hair in silence for what feels like forever, then she slowly raises her head to look at her best friend.</p>
<p>"Simon."</p>
<p>He stares at her in the eyes, then lowers his gaze a little to watch her lips as she opens them to speak. </p>
<p>"I'm trans." </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Simon blinks, then frowns. "Uh, like… Hm…"</p>
<p>He remains quiet for a bit then tries again: "Does that, um, what-" </p>
<p>"It means <em> I have a dick</em>, Simon." Grace hisses then immediately turns around to let herself fall on her side and lie down. </p>
<p>Simon stares at her, dumbfounded. </p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>"Um, OK , uh… Wow." he mumbles before quietly lying back down, next to her. </p>
<p>"Yeah, sorry to disappoint." Grace says, unable to hide the bitterness in her voice. </p>
<p>Simon's thrown off- it's so strange and out of character for her to be that insecure. In this moment, Simon feels oddly lucky and privileged to witness Grace in such a fashion. This is not a side of herself she would ever show the Apex, but she's showing it to him right now. Simon tries to compose himself. </p>
<p>"That's- I'm not disappointed, just… surprised." </p>
<p>"Yeah, <em> right.</em>"</p>
<p>"I had no idea." he whispers.</p>
<p>"Sure. You're gonna tell me you've never thought about what's in my pants?" she says while sitting up, dubious. </p>
<p>"Well- <em> clearly </em> I have, just not like <em> that- </em> I just never thought to, you know, question it." Simon blabbers, waving an arm around nonchalantly. </p>
<p>That gets a smile out of Grace, one she immediately tries to repress. </p>
<p>"Oh, I see, so you're just completely unfazed by this. Ever the calm and composed one, Simon, aren't you? So what, you're just gonna update your fantasies about me?" </p>
<p>"You know what? Maybe I will! Maybe I will." Simon says in the most casual voice he can muster. The room stays silent for a moment, then they turn their heads and surprise each other as they're both trying to check if the other is looking. They burst in laughter. </p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>"I'm not gonna lie, I'm definitely going to have to process some stuff now." Simon blurts out. </p>
<p>"Yeah, I bet." Grace snickers. </p>
<p>They're lying down, staring at the ceiling together. </p>
<p>"We're cool, though, right?" Simon asks, turning his head to look at Grace. </p>
<p>"I… think so? We clearly did <em> not </em> have the same priorities there." she mumbles. </p>
<p>"Well, hang on, let's - let's equalize the situation here. Come on." Simon says as he motions Grace to come closer. She quirks an eyebrow at him. </p>
<p>"No, listen, it's OK, just come over here- here, I'll lay on my side and look the other way and you can just- we can spoon, but like, reverse, right?" </p>
<p>Grace, still intrigued and suspicious, slowly scoots over and pushes her forehead against Simon's neck. They stay still for a couple of minutes, quiet. </p>
<p>"... OK, this is pretty nice." Grace mumbles against Simon's skin. </p>
<p>"That's great, because now-" Simon starts, grabs one of her arms from behind him, pulls, and- <em> grinds his ass against her crotch. </em>The effect is near immediate. </p>
<p>"Simon, <em> what the hell?!? </em>" Grace yelps, a deep blush peeking through her dark complexion. </p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>"And <em> voilà</em>, you're hard too. Now we <em> both </em> share the embarrassing experience that is getting a boner from rubbing against your best friend's ass. Yooouuu're welcome." Simon says in a sing-song voice, trying to contain a laugh. He knows he's pushing it. </p>
<p>Grace retaliates by fake punching him in the back, cry-laughing. "You are the <em> worst</em>!" </p>
<p>"Yes. But also the best." </p>
<p>"You're my best worst friend, and the worst best friend. Ever." </p>
<p>"And maybe we can upgrade that to boy worstfriend in the future."</p>
<p>"Don't push your luck." Grace says, winding down, "... But maybe I'll consider it." </p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Boy Worstfriend sounds like a minor cartoon villain/rival name, which I love.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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